Transition Experiences of Former Collegiate Women’s Soccer Athletes

Athlete transition from American collegiate sport participation, to non-sport careers or professional sport, has been a topic of contemporary sport science research but it is still not well understood, especially in female athlete populations. Informed by extant transition theory, the current study purpose was to describe the transition experiences of former women’s collegiate soccer athletes, including both positive and negative contributing factors. Using a deductive conceptual content analysis, results showcase both positive (i.e., social support, career goals, recreational sport play) and negative (i.e., lack of a team/support, lack of soccer/competition, lack of direction) contributors to the post-collegiate sport transition for female soccer athletes sampled. The importance of athletic identity and potential transition resources were identified. Specifically, participants endorsed career guidance, physical activity/exercise, mentorship programming, and mental health resources as potentially helpful to future athletes. Study findings expanded upon relevant transition theory and former female athlete research. Our study results may inform future research and program development efforts aimed at former female collegiate athletes from soccer and other sports.

“It Would Be Nice If”: Analysis of Transition Experiences Through Grand Challenges

The adult outcomes of youth with disabilities continue to lag behind those of their peers without disabilities, especially for youth living in rural communities. Interdisciplinary teaming is identified as an important component of effective transition planning. Transition planning and collaborative teaming are challenged further in rural communities due to lack of resources, distances between services and providers, and access for youth and their families. Social workers, given their multisystem perspective on aligning youth and family needs with resources, may be well poised, though currently underutilized, to address the challenges of transition in rural contexts. Through the transition experiences of 20 families and young adults with high need disabilities from a rural southern state, this study analyzes the potential alignment between the tenants of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for transition and the priorities of social work described in the Grand Challenges. Implications for practice and policy for special education transition planning in rural communities are offered.

New graduate registered nurses' perceptions of transitioning to professional practice after completion of the new graduate guarantee orientation program

In Canada, the projected shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) by 2022 is 60,000. This shortage is accentuated as Canadian New Graduate Registered Nurses (NGRNs) experience difficulties transitioning to professional practice. This study sought to explore NGRNs’ transition experiences in the 12 months post New Graduate Guarantee (NGG) orientation informed by Charmaz’s grounded theory methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten NGRNs working in one urban, academic hospital in Ontario. The theory’s overarching category Discovering Professional Self highlights the NGRNs’ transition experiences as a progressive process with transitory setbacks. The early part of the process, described as Surviving without a Safety Net, involved Experiencing Fear, Figuring it Out, and Learning on the Job. In the later part of the process, the NGRNs’ experienced a Turning of the Tables as they described Being Trusted, Gaining Confidence, and Feeling Comfortable in their professional role. Recommendations focus on strategies to enhance NGRNs’ transition experienc